The Minister for Government Communications has announced that the Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, will on Thursday, February 12 address the nation on new measures agreed by Cabinet to tackle challenges in the cocoa sector.

Speaking to the press after an emergency Cabinet meeting, Mr Kwakye Ofosu said the Finance Minister would provide a comprehensive briefing on decisions taken to stabilise the sector and fast-track payments to farmers.

“At 11 am tomorrow, the Finance Minister will address the people of Ghana and announce these far-reaching measures as agreed upon at the end of the Cabinet meeting today,” he said.

The emergency Cabinet meeting was convened to address growing concerns within the cocoa industry, including delays in payments to farmers and financial pressures facing the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).

Mr Kwakye Ofosu said that the meeting was focused on finding solutions.

“If the meeting was not intended to find solutions to the problems we are having now, the meeting would not have been held,” he said.

He said government had taken firm decisions aimed at resolving the challenges in the cocoa sector.

“We have just concluded a lengthy Cabinet meeting. It was an emergency session that discussed the cocoa sector and matters arising there."

"And at the end of the emergency session, decisive measures have been agreed upon regarding expedited payment of cocoa farmers, regarding the implementation of the most drastic reforms in the cocoa sector with a view to achieving quantum leaps in domestic processing of cocoa as opposed to exports of raw materials,” he said.